The quad muscle, known anatomically as the quadriceps, is composed of the vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis and rectus femoris. Their main role in the body is to extend the knee. This is a motion you would experience when you kick a ball off the ground or go from a seated to standing position. You can develop these muscles with the aid of weightlifting equipment and several key exercises. Perform 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets of each exercise in the order they appear. Do this workout three times a week on alternating days.
Step 1
Load a barbell with weight plates in a squat rack to do barbell squats. Duck under the bar and rest it behind your neck across the tops of your shoulders. Grab the bar in a wide grip and lift it off the supports. Take three long steps back for clearance and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and lower your body down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Stand back up and repeat.
Step 2
Push a platform up in the air to do leg presses. Sit on the leg press seat and place your feet on the platform a shoulder-width apart. Push the platform up and flip the side support handles over. Lower the platform down towards your body until your knees are bent 90 degrees and push the weight back up. Stop when your knees are almost locked out, then lower it back down.
Step 3
Stagger your stance to do split squats. Take the barbell off the squat rack the same way you did with squats and step back from the rack for clearance. Place your right foot forward and left foot behind you in a split formation. Lower your body down by bending both knees. Stop when your right knee is bent 90 degrees and your back knee is one inch above the ground. Stand back up, do a series of reps and switch sides.
Step 4
Extend your lower leg to work your quads. Sit on the leg extension machine and adjust the backrest so the backs of your knees are at the edge of the seat when they are bent. Hook your lower shins under the padded support and grab the handles on the sides of the chair. Lift the weight up in the air by bending your knees and contracting your quads. Stop when your knees are just short of lockout and slowly lower it back down. Stop when the weight is almost at rest then push it back up.
Step 5
Use the weight of your body to do a high intensity quad exercise. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your hands down by your sides. Jump in the air as high as you can and raise your arms up as if you were signaling a touchdown. Land and repeat. These are called jump squats.
Tips and Warnings
- When you are doing leg presses in step 2, make sure your knees do not go past your toes when you lower the platform. If they do, place your feet higher up. When you do jump squats in step 5, absorb the shock of the landing by bending your knees.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- Weight plates
- Leg press
- Leg extension machine
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